If you suffer from hair loss as a result of protein deficiency, the best option for treatment is to adjust your diet so that you receive the right amount of protein each day. Typically the lost hair will grow again by improving your diet and upping your protein intake to normal levels.
The most effective way to treat and reverse hair loss due to a protein deficiency is to make sure you're eating healthy sources of protein.
If you notice hair is limp and stringy, without bounce, you could have a protein deficiency. By increasing your protein intake, you will boost elasticity—creating bouncier, fuller hair that is easier to style for your hair care routine.
Luckily, since the cause for low protein is simple, so is the solution: Mild protein deficiency—meaning you may have low levels but are not malnourished—can be reversed by eating a sufficient amount of protein-rich foods, says Dr. Lacqua.
Hair looks limp and stringy.
Dull and limp hair is a sign of protein deficiency. Most clients will think it just needs a bit of hair styling product to bring it back to life, but this practice actually compromises the health of the hair significantly.
For most women who are experiencing hair loss, a good protein goal is 1-gram protein per 1 pound of body weight. For example, if you're a 150lb woman, that means aiming for 150 grams of protein per day.
Try an almond milk hair rinse.
So, a great way to pamper your hair and scalp with a dose of protein while moisturizing it in the process is to rinse your hair with some almond milk every other wash day.
Recovering from protein overload isn't an overnight process, but after taking a few important steps you won't have to wait long before noticing improvement. However, depending on the severity of your protein buildup, it can take a few months to see results. You'll need to focus on how you're moisturising your hair.
Very fine or thin hair can also benefit from added protein, which can help make strands look thicker and stronger. If your hair looks stringy or limp, those may also be signs that your strands need more protein.
Protein treatments for hair are over-the-counter (OTC), or chemical treatments are done professionally at salons that help add protein to the hair. In protein treatments, hydrolysed protein is added to the hair shaft, filling the hair cuticle gaps and improving the hair's overall health and elasticity.
Vitamins and minerals help keep the scalp healthy and prevent hair follicles from thinning. Good sources of iron(spinach), beta carotene (carrot), folate (lentils) and vitamin C (amala) help keep hair follicles healthy and the scalp with good amount of oil circulation.
Nutritional deficiencies
Vitamin B12 as well as iron, biotin, folate, and zinc have all been associated with hair loss but increasing your intake with the foods you consume, or by taking a supplement, can rectify the issue. Once the deficiency is eliminated, it will take around two to three months to grow.
Take an inch of your hair and stretch it, if it doesn't stretch or breaks, feels dry and rough, it is brittle/damaged and needs moisture treatment. If the hair stretches far and does not return and/or breaks, feels mushy, gummy or cotton candy-like, your hair needs protein.
Extremely low protein diets may result in restricted hair growth and even hair loss. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent sources of protein along with vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.
Just like your body, your hair needs protein in order to stay healthy. If your hair feels limp or weak, it may be a sign that your hair needs a protein treatment. Protein treatments boost the hair with a variety of nutrients and proteins to help reconstruct and strengthen hair strands.
Once your hair is dry and you try to brush through it, you will notice that your hair is protein sensitive if you experience breakage and/or split ends. Also, if your hair feels hard, rough, or dehydrated, it's likely that your hair has been exposed to too much protein, resulting in damage to your hair.
Hair is composed of chains of amino acids or proteins called keratin. Over time, over-manipulation, chemical treatments like perms, relaxers, and hair dye, heat styling, and environmental stress can cause the keratin bonds to break and the cuticle (outlayer of the hair) to raise, exposing the innermost layer.
Products with minoxidil help many people regrow their hair or slow the rate of hair loss or both. It'll take at least six months of treatment to prevent further hair loss and to start hair regrowth. It may take a few more months to tell whether the treatment is working for you.
A high protein diet can actually cause hair loss, as well as a lack of protein. In some cases, people who go on restrictive diets or have abnormal eating habits may not be getting enough protein, which causes their body to conserve what it has by putting growing hairs into the resting phase.
While some OLAPLEX products contain some protein, the amounts are minimal and not enough to be considered a protein treatment. Therefore, OLAPLEX is not a protein treatment. OLAPLEX works at a molecular level to rebuild the hair internally. Our hair contains millions of disulfide bonds.
Eggs, berries, shrimp, fatty fish, tofu, legumes, nuts and cottage cheese are great sources of protein. Adding these foods to your diet can prevent hair loss over time and make the hair look healthier.